The Perfect Place For A Disaster.

Hugo's electric bike wheezed like an asthmatic pigeon before dying completely, right in the middle of the road. The screen flickered one last time as if to say "good luck, buddy," then went black.

His heart sank.

"No. No. NO!" he groaned, fiddling with the throttle as if it had a secret reset button.

Spoiler: it didn't.

He coasted it to the side of the road, mentally calculating how much he could sell the useless hunk of metal for scrap.

He glanced nervously at Lily, hoping she hadn't noticed the catastrophe. His mind scrambled for excuses.

'Do I tell her the bike just… uh… needs to rest? Maybe say I wanted to park here for… the view? Yeah, totally romantic, just a view of traffic and potholes...'

How was he supposed to tell Lily that their grand "romantic" ride was over?

As he fumbled for words, trying to piece together a half-baked explanation, Lily gasped, her eyes lighting up. "Oh my God, Hugo! How did you know this is my favorite restaurant?!"

Hugo blinked, following her gaze. A neon sign glowed above the entrance of a fancy, modern restaurant called "Shrouded Delights."

Favorite restaurant? He hadn't even noticed it. He was too busy trying to perform CPR on his bike.

His heart skipped, then sped up as Sanchez's voice echoed in his head: Anything she likes? Make it your favorite too. Twist it. Own it.

A split second of panic washed over him before he slapped on a wide grin, activating his "aura of alpha" like a switch being flicked.

He straightened up, broadened his shoulders, and let his face morph into the confident smirk Sanchez always told him to use—one that said, "I'm the captain of this sinking ship, and we're all going to enjoy the ride."

"Of course, I knew," Hugo said, his voice laced with authority. "I've been coming here forever. But I didn't think you'd catch on to my favorite place this quick. You're trying to be like me, aren't you?"

Lily's eyes sparkled, utterly believing him. "No way! You're such a foodie! You've got great taste, Hugo!"

Foodie? Taste?

Hugo could barely afford instant noodles, let alone whatever cuisine they served in a place that probably charged you for the air.

This girl needed to remember that he was still a student! He was barely even one!

But he leaned into it, remembering Sanchez's other piece of advice: The key to a girl's heart is food.

"Well, since we're already here…" he began, trying to sound casual while internally spiraling into a full-on budgeting crisis.

'What could I even buy here with ten bucks? Do they charge for napkins?' He was praying the place had some sort of discount menu for broke idiots.

"Let's get something to eat." His smile was almost like a grimace at this point. He could already see the huge red minus in his bank account...

They stepped inside, and Hugo's stomach dropped the second he took in the sleek décor.

Dim lighting, expensive-looking minimalist furniture, and servers who seemed like they could sense the financial status of a customer from a mile away.

He could already hear his wallet sobbing. Abort mission. Abort!

The hostess, dressed in all black like a secret agent, approached with a smile that was far too welcoming for Hugo's comfort. "Welcome to Shrouded Delights. Tonight, you'll be dining in a private room—"

'Private room?! Is this a VIP situation? Oh God, does that cost extra?'

"—and all of our guests enjoy their meals… while blindfolded."

"Blindfolded?" Hugo repeated, feeling like he'd just walked into a twisted game show. "As in… we can't see anything?"

The hostess smiled serenely. "Exactly! It heightens your other senses. The experience is one of a kind."

One of a kind? Hugo couldn't even see the prices! How was he supposed to know what kind of disaster he was ordering?

He glanced at Lily, who was practically bouncing on her feet. "This is so cool! You've gotta admit, Hugo, this place is amazing!"

"Amazing," he echoed weakly, sweat gathering under his collar.

They were escorted into a room shrouded in heavy curtains, the only light coming from a tiny candle on the table. The hostess handed them both silk blindfolds.

Lily was already tying hers with the excitement of someone about to embark on an adventure.

Hugo, on the other hand, was tying his blindfold with the enthusiasm of someone about to walk into a dark alley full of financial doom.

Okay, stay calm. Think.

Maybe there's some budget option hidden in the menu. Hugo fumbled with the menu, his fingers tracing the raised lettering.

He couldn't see a damn thing and could only guess what he was ordering based on vague descriptions like "delightful morsel" or "luxurious fusion."

Luxurious? That's a dangerous word.

He squinted through the blindfold as if that would somehow help him decipher the cryptic names.

'Please, just be a salad. Just let this 'heavenly bite' be a salad.'

"What are you getting?" Lily asked, the excitement in her voice giving him a jolt of panic.

"Uh… something… light?" Hugo replied, trying to sound breezy while internally chanting please don't be expensive, please don't be expensive like a mantra.

"Good choice! I think I'll go for the 'decadent surprise'!"

Decadent? Hugo's brain went into overdrive, calculating how much a word like that would set him back. 'There goes my entire bank account!'

They placed their orders, and the server vanished, leaving them in the quiet darkness of the private room.

As the minutes ticked by, Hugo could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him.

His aura of alpha had long flickered out, replaced by sheer terror. 'This was supposed to be a no-dollar date. How did I end up blindfolded in a luxury restaurant with no idea what I'm paying for?!'

Still, when images of Lily's superb figure flashed into his mind, especially that particular one where her ass jiggled intensely after a serve, he grew optimistic once again.

'Eat well, hehe, I intend to get my money's worth!'